7.05.2010

A great life is the sum total of all the worthwhile things you've been doing one by one.
-Richard Bach

I'm sorry it's taken so long for another post. The last leg of the trip has been fast paced and jam packed with things. After leaving New Jersey we shot down to Charlotte, NC - my home :) it was really wonderful being able to see my family. This last part of the trip I've been thinking a lot about how I show love to my family.

While we were here we wanted to conclude the packages for the soldiers that we started earlier. We went off to Wal-Mart believing it would be a quick trip that would basically take care of all the packages and were quickly proven wrong. A friend from school met us there and we suddenly realized that Wal-Mart doesn't always carry 30 sticks of Gillette Clinical Strength deodorant, 60 packs of clean wipes, and 30 packages of beef jerky. Which I have to say did surprise me. So while we were here we stopped by a few different stores, currently we only need a few more deodorants and some clean wipes (yayyy! :)

After we left NC we went straight down to spend the night in Orlando at our friend's, Annie, house :) Her family was lots of fun to stay with and it was fun to hear all their family stories and experiences they've had in Columbia (which is where her mom is from).

The following day we drove to Sarasota to drop off Ginger at her home. It was strange to be back in Sarasota (which is where our school is) and to suddenly see our school friends. It's strange to think that they've been on summer vacation for these last seven and a half weeks. I feel like everyone we left should have still been in school while we were traveling.

I don't know how to explain those last hours of driving together with Ginger and Jason. I just kept thinking... this is the end. Not the end of seeking after love, or encouraging others to love. But just the end of traveling all together. The conclusion of the Love Each One tour 2010. The last time we would all be together for awhile. The end of a season.

We left Gingy with her family and thanked them for a very yummy dinner. Then we headed back to Miami, to end where we started. We stayed at Stan's home for a day and where able to go back to 'His House', the orphanage we volunteered at our first day of Love Each One :) they had asked us to fix up a few old childrens chairs and table. We were only in Miami for a day so we didn't have the time to fix them, so we really wanted to figure something out for them. Once again, Jason and I were only in Miami for the day to get my car fixed up and we weren't sure if we could fix up the ol chairs before six. So we visited a few different stores until we were able to find some really cute childrens chairs at Toys R Us. We were able to find our way back to 'His House' to say hello to our old friend Carmen and drop off the chairs/tables. It was really great being able to see her and share with her (and her family/friends that were with her) all the amazing things that have happened while on the trip and all the things we've been able to learn :)

One thing we prayed before going on this trip and during it was that we would always be in the right place at the right time talking to the right people. I cannot express to you how faithful God has been. Everything has worked out perfectly. Absolutely everything. And we've made some wonderful new friends. And run into some amazing strangers. Everyone we've been able to come in contact with, from our waitress in Las Vegas, to the homeless man in New York City, I believe they were exactly who we needed to talk to.

Being home these last few days has been wonderful. I love my family and I really feel like I've grown in how I love people, from strangers to those close to me. I can't wait to keep learning about love. To keep giving it to people.

I know love is a decision. I know it isn't always comfortable. And I know the power of love. The strength that love carries with it when used sincerely. The ability it has to break down barriers. To overcome fear, to eliminate anger. To reach out to a stranger. To make someone's day better. To change the course of someone's life.